Lyonsgate Parent Update June 5, 2023
Hello Lyonsgate Parents,
As always, we will end our school year with an all-school picnic and Casa graduation ceremony at Dundas Driving Park. The picnic will run from 12:00-4:00 p.m. on Friday, June 23. The Casa graduation ceremony will begin at 12:30 p.m.
Please feel free to bring a pot luck item to share with the school community, and please include an ingredients list for those with allergies or other restrictions. All items must be nut-free, and we also have students with anaphylactic allergies to eggs and kiwi. Lyonsgate will provide plates, cutlery, and serviettes.
Other items to remember to bring are refillable water bottles, bathing suits and towels for the splash pad, sun protection, a picnic blanket, and any balls, games, or other park activities your family enjoys.
Elementary Families (and 3rd-year Casa): please be sure to check the Elementary section for updates on summer camp, field trip, photo day pt. 2, and the upcoming open house.
Hello Toddler Families,
As we all know, the past week has been a hot one and we have certainly been taking advantage of being outside as much as possible, which has been so lovely for all of us here at Lyonsgate. There is still a lot of excitement happening around the building as the construction is ongoing and many more machines have been making an appearance in our parking lot; the other morning we decided to take a few eager onlookers out to watch as the workers moved various items back and forth, there were many wide eyed little faces who certainly enjoyed the show!
We have also been been having more opportunities to have our snack outside in the mornings and afternoons, which the children have been loving as well. As some of you may have seen on Seesaw we made fruit ice cream for them on Thursday and it was such a wonderful and tasty experience. Mr. Davis brought in his ice cream maker which allowed each child to hand crank it and watch as it turned and formed the ice cream inside.
As we approach the end of the school year I have been reflecting on how far your children have developed since they first started and I wanted to leave you with a quote I recently read that really resonated with me:
“Childhood is not a race to see how quickly a child can read, write, and count. It is a small window of time to learn and develop at the pace that is right for each individual child. Earlier is not better.” — Magda Gerber.
Mme Craigie.
Hello June!
It’s hard to believe the school year is almost complete. We have seen so much growth physically and academically in all our students. New friends have been made, and old friends will soon say farewell as they move on. All the children have gifted us with fond memories and many funny stories.
On Wednesday, we had an opportunity to make even more memories and share in their laughter and joy. We love seeing opportunities for learning beyond our classroom. A Montessori classroom allows for choice-making in all aspects of the Casa. Choices are essential when working with young children. These choices enable the child to feel empowered and affirmed in their abilities. Our outing to the park allowed this theory to be seen concretely, as the children could explore the park and complete activities they felt secure at, or challenge their skills and confidence. We educators could observe gross motor skills, hopping, climbing, running, etc., and we were privileged to hear their thoughts and plans for their day. The morning was filled with laughter, ear-to-ear smiles, and profound statements of “I did it!”
The temperatures have started climbing and the children love the freedom from snowsuits, and boots. A gentle reminder to please send your child with a hat and a full water bottle. For those wishing sunscreen to be applied, we do it before recess. On those hot days, we encourage water painting and spray bottle play. Please send in extra T-shirts and shorts for the children to change into if they become too wet.
These final weeks of June seem to fly by, and we all would like to wish you lots of family time and fabulous memories.
Great summer wishes,
Casa North Team.
Elementary Weekly Update
This week, our classroom assistant, Caitlin, has an update on the children’s work in the kitchen this year:
The students often have contributions in the kitchen to help our community with snacks each day and community lunches on Fridays. They all seem to enjoy getting food prepared for the classroom and we have worked on many skills throughout the year such as chopping vegetables, cutting fruit, making hummus from scratch, and making muffins, which I think is their favourite! It has been especially fun helping them realize that fractions and math are used in the kitchen! Some distinctions have been made between cooking and baking, and how ingredients can be used as well. For example, we have been working on improvising our amounts in cooking soups and tasting as we go to see what ingredient we might need more of, as well as working on measuring exact amounts for baking muffins.
Sometimes the students also choose to make something in the kitchen for special projects and occasions. The Winn Dixie literature circle made fruit punch for the whole school to try. When learning about the fundamental needs of humans, one group delighted our open house guests with homemade pie. During our recent Phoenicians trading game, students explored using food from our kitchen to prepare trade items such as olive oil, salt, and homemade grape juice.
The children really enjoy working in the kitchen alongside their friends!
All the best,
Caitlin.
Summer Camp is CANCELLED
While we had a wonderful time at our Montessori Summer Camp last year, we unfortunately do not have enough campers to offer the program again this summer. All camp registration fees will be refunded. We know that this will be disappointing to those students who were looking forward to spending a bit more time together on campus, but hope they will find new opportunities for summer adventures!
Crawford Lake
The class will be traveling by chartered bus to Crawford Lake on Tuesday, June 6, as part of their history studies. If your child has a Lyonsgate t-shirt or another red-shirt, they are encouraged to wear it for the trip. Please remember to have your child bring a bag to carry their lunch and water bottle for the day, and they may wish to also bring a hat or sunglasses.
Open House
Please join us next Monday, June 12, for our final open house of the year! Family members are welcome to arrive at the Elementary campus anytime between 3:15 – 4:15 to see displays of the children’s work.
Elementary Photo Day, Part 2
On Thursday, June 15, the Elementary staff will be taking some amateur photos of our graduating students, as well as a whole class picture. Students are welcome to dress their best, or bring a change of clothes for photos. The photos will be shared digitally with Elementary families.
Lyonsgate Parent Update May 29, 2023
Hello Lyonsgate Parents,
We’re looking forward to seeing most of you this Friday for Parent-Teacher conferences. Remember, both campuses are closed to students but child care is available during your conference time. If you still need to sign up for a conference timeslot, please see the email “June Parent-Teacher Conference Sign-Up” from May 17 for the link.
Final Days to Register for Summer Camp!
We still have a few spaces to fill to be able to offer our Montessori Summer Camp again this year. Registration is now open to Primary students who are currently in their third year of Casa. While the weekly program themes remain the same, our activities are easily adapted to fully include younger campers, and the camp will be staffed by both Casa and Elementary-trained guides. We had so much fun last year, let’s do it again! Join us for art, games, nature exploration, water play, the giant slingshot, and more!
Please click here to register for summer camp
If your child is interested in attending our Montessori Summer Camp for Lyonsgate students, please register by Wednesday, May 31. This is the final day for registration, and if our minimum number of campers is not reached, camp will be canceled and all camp fees refunded.
Greetings Toddler Parents,
Things are growing in the Toddler room: the children, various vegetables, and plants. Mr. Davis’s experiment with the bell pepper seeds from our snack has worked like magic. We safely transplanted many of these seedlings into larger pots with the help of the children. Small children love to dig in the dirt and they love to be involved in the real work of gardening. It is very gratifying to watch something grow and know that they helped to make it happen!
I am looking forward to meeting with all of you this Friday during our Parent-Teacher Conferences. It will be a nice chance to talk about our year together as a whole and think about some things to work on over the summer.
As the weather warms up, please remember to send a water bottle and to put sunscreen on your children prior to their arrival at school. We will reapply it after nap for the afternoon outdoor time.
Ms. Gervais.
Nous sommes déjà rendus à la fin du mois de mai. C’est incroyable!
What a busy month! Our casa children welcomed their parents to Show and Share and watched caterpillars transform into beautiful butterflies. They created gifts and cards for Mother’s Day with joy and excitement. They enjoyed science experiments and learned about the animals of the world.
There is so much to discover!
Looking forward to seeing you at the Parent-Teacher Conferences!
Bonne semaine!
Mme Perazzo.
Thank you to everyone who joined us at our Parent Education event on French in our elementary environment! Our French instructor, Anne Prat Kalonji, shared her approach to engaging children in work with a secondary language, as well as some of the lesson content, follow-up games, and A.I.M. activities enjoyed by the students. Many of the children were excited to perform their A.I.M. play, “Boucles Violettes,” a modern retelling of Goldilocks and the Three Bears. The audience was delighted! We are looking forward to tomorrow afternoon’s performance of “Les Trois Petits Cochons.” Other activities that were a big part of the children’s week included literacy games, biology dissections, and spontaneous musical ensembles!
We look forward to sharing more about your child’s work at our Parent-Teacher conferences this week.
Kindly,
Marissa and Michelle.
Save-the-Date: Elementary Graduation – Thursday, June 22 at 3:00 p.m.
The Elementary class will have a small ceremony on the last day of school to celebrate those students who are moving up from Lyonsgate to middle school this fall. Graduating sixth year students are welcome to invite two adult family members to attend the celebration.
Lyonsgate Parent Update May 22, 2023
Hello Lyonsgate Families,
We hope you’re all enjoying a great long weekend. Remember to keep an eye on your Lyonsgate calendar as we approach the end of the school year. This week, there is an Elementary Parent Education event, and sign-up for Parent-Teacher Conferences on June 2 continues (see the email “June Parent-Teacher Conference Sign-Up” from May 17).
There is also important information about Elementary summer camps for parents of Elementary students and 3rd-year Casa students going to Elementary in September. See the Elementary section below.
Thank you to all of you that were able to attend our Parent Education event this week. It always means a lot to us to be able to share more of what we do.
Even though it was a short week, every day it’s own adventure in the Toddler room, and this week was no exception. We had butterflies emerge and fly away, and we had some new (to us) construction truck toys donated to us from a neighbour of the school. Between those, the small construction vehicles we have in the classroom, and the real life excavator, bobcat, and dump truck we’ve had working beside the playground for the last couple of weeks, we’ve all been quite excited about construction.
At this time of year, we also have a lot of big steps being taken with toilet learning. A number of Toddlers are now proudly wearing just underwear to school, and throughout the day. Great work!
Mr. Davis.
This week was very exciting; we had painted lady caterpillars emerge from their suspended chrysalides as butterflies.
The children observed the life stages for a few weeks and they were very excited to meet their classrooms butterflies. Casa North named them: Buttercup, Pizza, and Butterscotch.
Every time we sang the “Bonjour Song” the butterflies emerged. The children thought it was their singing that made the caterpillars become butterflies.
Our students also enjoyed a sound game book written by Marion Arbona. They have to find objects for each letter of the alphabet.
Happy Victoria Day!
Mme Murati.
Reminder: if you would like your child to wear sunscreen, please send in a clearly and permanently labeled bottle. Thank you.
Last week, students explored language through a variety of activities. Many of the students have recently been enthusiastically adding to their repertoire of phonograms through card drills, writing activities, and Spelling Races. Some of the youngest students had a lot of fun generating noun family phrases and using them to create their own booklets, while others have been adding to their personal spelling dictionaries or discussing how a word can act as a noun or verb depending on how it is used in a sentence. The older students have focused on analyzing and composing complex sentences with dependent clauses while researching and writing biographies.
Students are eagerly anticipating the performance of the French plays that they have been preparing this term. They have been excited to move their rehearsals into the backyard. As well as their enthusiasm for acting en français, the students have embraced the task of acquiring costumes. Both the indoor and outdoor spaces have turned into set design workshops as children glue, paint, and assemble sets. We are all looking forward to seeing their interpretations of Boucle de Violette and Trois Petits Cochons!
Have a great week,
Michelle and Marissa.
Parent Education Event – French in our Elementary Environment – Thursday, May 25, 3:30 – 4:15
Please join us after school on Thursday, May 25, for a parent education presentation with our French instructor, Anne. She will be speaking with you how we approach second language learning and demonstrating some of the French materials for independent work. If you are planning to attend, RSVP to elementary@lyonsgate.ca how many adults are expected and whether your children will be staying for child care.
All Elementary students will be traveling to the HAAA at 3:20 that day ahead of the parent presentation. Students whose families are attending the parent education event will be included in aftercare until 4:30 p.m. All other students will be dismissed from the park between 3:30 – 3:45.
Final Days to Register for Summer Camp!
If your child is interested in attending our Montessori Summer Camp for elementary students, this is the final week for registration. Choose from a week of art and film-making or a session dedicated to exploring a variety of cultures from around the world. Casa students who are joining the Elementary program in the fall are welcome to register and get acquainted with some of their new classmates before September.
We need a minimum number of campers to offer this program, and unfortunately, if we do not have sufficient registration by the end of this week, summer camp will be canceled and fees refunded.
Field Trip to Crawford Lake
On Tuesday, June 6th, the Elementary students will be taking a field trip to learn more about the Haudenosaunee with a visit to Crawford Lake. Students will be traveling by chartered school bus, and off-campus for the majority of the school day. More details to come!
Save-the-Date: Elementary Graduation – Thursday, June 22 at 3:00 p.m.
The Elementary class will have a small ceremony on the last day of school to celebrate those students who are moving up from Lyonsgate to middle school this fall. Graduating sixth year students are welcome to invite two adult family members to attend the celebration.
Lyonsgate Parent Update May 15, 2023
Hello Lyonsgate Parents,
Reminder: the Victoria Day long weekend is this week. Lyonsgate is closed for a PD day on Friday, May 19, and for the holiday on Monday, May 22.
See below for updates, including information about Elementary Parent Education and French plays.
Hello Toddler Parents,
We have been enjoying watching the construction vehicles moving and dumping dirt into the large bin behind our playground fence each day. We are so lucky to have this opportunity. Many of the toddlers were already interested in construction vehicles before our neighbour’s renovation project began but to see them up close is very exciting. We are naming the various machines and watching how they work.
As the weather warms up we might have cool mornings but by the afternoon we are experiencing summer temperatures so I will encourage you to dress your child in layers and provide a sun hat. Also, we will be using water bottles again while we are outside to keep the children hydrated. Please resume sending a water bottle. If you forget we have lots of water and cups so there is no need to make a special trip back home just for the water bottle. Please apply sunscreen for the morning at home before coming to school. We will re-apply sunscreen before the second recess. PLEASE LABEL EVERYTHING. This saves time and confusion.
We hope to be able to witness our painted lady butterflies hatch early this week!
Ms. Gervais.
Spring Greetings from Casa,
It was a pleasure to welcome you into your children’s classrooms earlier this month. They were very happy to show you what they enjoy working with and share their school environments. While observing all the activity and enthusiasm it became evident that they all have grown and developed in many ways.
The work they chose to present may have been different, or the same, as your previous visit in the Fall indicating a new or further developed skill level. Fine motor skills have becoming more refined, impressions absorbed through work with concrete materials have led to more abstract thinking, and the ability to communicate has become clearer and more sophisticated.
In addition to all of the above tremendous growth these visits highlighted just how much all of the children have thoroughly adapted to their classroom environments, how secure they are in the physical space and more importantly how they have bonded with their classmates. These are spaces where they obviously feel comfortable and supported which in turn leads to discoveries about themselves and others.
Ms. Robinson.
The Elementary class was bursting with energy last week, with lots of work taking place both inside and outside the classroom. The students were excited to participate in a trading game exploring how the ancient Phoenicians connected and influenced different groups living around the Mediterranean Sea. They loved bartering their native resources for more exotic goods! This was followed by the “Story of Currency,” introducing students to the transition from bartering to a monetary system. In language work this week, the students happily returned to work with poetry, composing acrostics, cinquains, and odes to their mothers in celebration of Mother’s Day. There has been a lot of interest in plants and fungi lately as a result of our lessons in botany. Last Friday, three of our students were overjoyed to participate in a Montessori “going out” to the Bruce Trail to investigate local mushrooms and collect specimens for dissection. We look forward to another week of adventure ahead!
Warmly,
Marissa and Michelle.
- Please note that the date of the student French plays has been postponed to the afternoon of Tuesday, May 23. If you anticipate your child will be absent that day, please let us know with an email to elementary@lyonsgate.ca
- Parent Education Event – French in our Elementary Environment 3:30 – 4:15
Please join us after school on Thursday, May 25, for a parent education presentation with our French instructor, Anne. She will be speaking with you about how we approach second language learning, demonstrating some of the French materials for independent work, and sharing some footage of the French plays prepared using the A.I.M.
All Elementary students will be traveling to the HAAA at 3:20 that day ahead of the parent presentation. Students whose families are attending the parent education event will be included in aftercare until 4:30 p.m. All other students will be dismissed from the park between 3:30 – 3:45.
Lyonsgate Parent Update May 8, 2023
Hello Lyonsgate Families,
Here are a few dates to be aware of as we head towards the end of the school year:
- May 19 PD Day: BOTH LYONSGATE CAMPUSES WILL BE CLOSED. This is the PD day that leads into the Victoria Day long weekend. Lyonsgate will also be closed on Monday, May 22, for the statutory holiday.
- Friday, June 2: Lyonsgate will be closed to students for Parent-Teacher Conferences.
- Thursday, June 22: is the last regular day of school and Friday, June 23, is the year-end community picnic and Casa graduation at Dundas Driving Park.
Please keep an eye on your Lyonsgate calendar — https://lyonsgate.ca/lyonsgate-calendar/ — for other events before the end of the school year.
Hello Toddler Parents,
Thank you to everyone who came to visit our classroom last week during our show and share week. It was so nice to invite all of you in to explore with your children and experience their joy as they showed you all of the things they work so hard on.
On another note, our caterpillars are on their way to becoming butterflies! On Friday we noticed that they were hanging from the lid of the container and were beginning to pupate; they have now entered into their chrysalis so we moved them into the net where they will finish growing and emerge as painted lady butterflies in about eight to ten days. In the Toddler room everything is growing! We look forward to keeping you updated throughout the week!
Your Toddler Team.
It has been so exciting in the Casa classrooms this week. Thank you for joining us for show and share. The children have been working hard all year and it’s nice for them to be able to showcase their work to all of you. Each of our classrooms have had the opportunity to have caterpillars join the classrooms. We will be watching the caterpillars grow and turn into painted lady butterflies. We will then release them outside once they are ready.
I have had a great first week as the Casa North directress. The children have been eager to present their work to me and have welcomed me in with open arms. The transition has gone smoothly. I am looking forward to building a new relationship with the children and their families.
All the best,
Ms. Beach.
Last week, the Elementary class was excited to continue their exploration of the ancient Phoenicians by learning about their trading partners around the Mediterranean Sea and beyond. Students have partnered up to prepare a trading post from a particular culture by researching and creating artistic versions of resources the Phoenicians procured from others. Once each trading post is prepared, some of our youngest students will take the part of the Phoenicians, and travel from post to post in their merchant ship to barter and trade. On Friday, the class heard the story of Siddhartha Gautama in recognition of Vesak Day, and enjoyed learning about the generous, temporary offerings Buddhists leave before statues of the Buddha in their own homes and community temples around the world.
Marissa and Michelle.
Lyonsgate Parent Update May 1, 2023
Hello Lyonsgate Families,
Primary Show & Share is This Week: From May 1-4, parents of Casa and Toddler students have the opportunity to participate in Show & Share in your child’s classroom. Show & Share is an opportunity for Montessori students to invite their parents into the classrooms to show you some of the materials they work with. Please click here to select the day of your Show & Share visit.
Hello Toddler Community,
We have some exciting news to share with you; we are going to grow and release some butterflies in the next few weeks and we are so looking forward to sharing this experience with the children. Each day, we will be able to watch them as they make their transformation right before our curious eyes which will make more great conversations.
We encourage all of you to take some time to talk about how important it is to take care of the natural world around us and how sometimes its best to leave nature in nature when you and your child are out and about on walks and to take care of the plants and animals around us, perhaps you can partake in a neighborhood clean up or take your child to a community garden and write down all the different life forms you can spot.
All the best,
Mme Craigie.
May we raise children who love the unloved things — the dandelion, the worms & spiderlings. Children who sense the rose needs the thorn.
And who run into rainswept days the same way they turn towards sun.
And when they’re grown & someone has to speak for those who have no voice, may they draw upon that wilder bond, those days of tending tender things…
…and be the ones.
(Nicolette Sowder)
———
In Montessori, we are constantly modelling the care and appreciation of all things, big and small. We are providing for the child a look at our version of happiness, by taking genuine interest in all the little details of daily life & the world that surrounds us. We encourage the idea of stopping to smell the roses — and more over, we want to question, explore, empathize, and take the time to consider the rose, as best we can.
As parents, when you demonstrate joy, you promote your child’s well being. When they observe you in states of concentration, fascination, and awe, they believe they can have that, too! When you offer yourself in front of them as a pure being, content to exist as you are — and happy to be yourself — they learn how to access their own joy.
At Lyonsgate, it also begins with the child watching us, and trusting that we have something they want for themselves. Our staff bring their authentic selves, their interests, and their joy to work each day to share with your children. Along with the support of the environment, materials, and open work cycle, your children are observing & experiencing everything that they need to unlock joy, passion, curiosity, confidence, and engagement each day that they spend in our Casa & Toddler classrooms.
Best,
Ms. O’Sullivan
The third term of school is often a wonderful time in the classroom as students demonstrate the growth they have achieved through the year and are eager to put into practice their new skills. The elementary years are when children develop their moral compass, their sense of justice, and the self-discipline to care not only for themselves but others in their community as well. Last week, the students were excited to prepare grace and courtesy skits about how to manage the daily conflicts of childhood, such as a fair-weather friend or establishing the rules of a game. The children worked in small groups with a given scenario to present a problem and how it could be solved without adult assistance. Their skits hit the right note of advice and humour, and were a delightful end to the school week.
Other activities during the week included botany explorations into the parts of flowers, the location of plant ovaries, and different types of fruit. The children were excited to investigate the inside of a tomato, bell pepper, honeydew melon, pineapple, and even broke into a coconut! They enjoyed sampling the different fruits and discussing how the different types of seeds use different migration strategies to new planting grounds.
We look forward to working more in our outdoor garden as the spring days warm up. Wishing you all a great week ahead,
Marissa and Michelle.
Elementary Summer Camp
Camp registration is open for this coming July and we encourage interested families to sign up soon. While each week of camp has a specific theme with different activities for campers attending both sessions, both sessions include a variety of classic camp activities, waterplay, and can be adapted to the interests of the campers. Please click here to register for summer camp! Payment can be made to accounts@lyonsgate.ca
- Week 1: July 10- 14 Art Explorers: Draw, Sculpt, Shoot!
Work with a variety of mediums, photography and video equipment to create a short movie. Clay, papier mache, and underwater filming are just a few things we have planned for this week!
- Week 2: July 17 – 21 Around the World: Exploring the Seven Continents
Gather stamps in your Montessori passport each day as we explore the seven continents. Learn how the Maori of Oceania dance the haka and cook over a hot rock pit, play outdoor games from Bangladesh and India, and try art techniques from Ghana, Nigeria, and Tanzania.
Lyonsgate Parent Update April 24, 2023
Hello Lyonsgate Families,
PD Day Reminder: The Elementary campus has a PD day on Friday, April 28. Please see the Elementary section for details. The Primary campus for Casa and Toddler students will be open as usual.
Primary Show & Share: From May 1-4, parents of Casa and Toddler students have the opportunity to participate in Show & Share in your child’s classroom. Show & Share is an opportunity for Montessori students to invite their parents into the classrooms to show you some of the materials they work with. Please click here to select the day of your Show & Share visit.
Welcome to Elementary — Parent and Child Orientation: Parents of students starting Elementary in September, please see the Elementary section for details of your orientation on June 14 [previously scheduled in May].
Please see the attached poster (in the email of this post) from Hamilton Public Health with free programs for families with children ages 0-6.
See below for updates.
Get Outside!
Hello Toddler Parents,
We are celebrating and embracing the splendor of Spring. Even though we have had some back and forth between warm and cool temperatures this week we know that the amount of daylight and warmth will increase every day going forward, and for some of us this can lift our spirits and offer us an opportunity to begin spending more time outside in nature.
In Richard Louv’s research, he encourages everyone to simply get outside. He writes, “Here is a deceptively simple treatment for improving physical and mental health, for stimulating learning, creativity, and a sense of being fully alive.” Vitamin N, The Essential Guide to a Nature-Rich Life, Richard Louv.
Small children benefit immensely from time spent outside with adults. These shared experiences are an opportunity to connect and deepen our relationships. There are many physical and emotional benefits that result from excursions into nature. Young children are hard wired to explore with their senses, build their physical strength, and be curious about our world. These early experiences build the foundation for the child’s spiritual well being and sense of self. We can join them and reconnect to our own sense of wonder by observing and participating in the natural world alongside them.
“If a child is to keep alive his inborn sense of wonder …[they] need the companionship of at least one adult who can share it, rediscovering with them the joy, the excitement, and the mystery of the world we live in.” The Sense of Wonder, Rachel Carson.
Beyond simply immersing ourselves in nature and experiencing the many benefits of being outside, Maria Montessori encouraged us to help children build an understanding of the interconnectedness of everything in the natural world. This understanding quietly grows within young children as their experience and their knowledge of their world slowly expands.
Ms. Gervais.
Good Morning Casa Families!
I hope you’ve had a nice weekend and are ready for the week ahead! As the English language assistant, a big part of my role in the classroom is behavior management. You might think that it would be the most mundane, frustrating part of the job, and sometimes that’s true, but it’s also so much more.
All behavior is a form of communication. When babies cry they’re expressing a need and we do our best to oblige. When a Casa student is doing something that we find undesirable, it can almost be reflexive to try to correct it in the moment. Yet, when we pause to observe instead of react, we’re often presented with opportunities to connect, support independence, or redirect in constructive ways. Approaching a child who is upset and missing home becomes a conversation about what they miss, giving valuable insights into their life away from school; a pair of children excitedly running around the classroom turns into a game of phonetic eye-spy, giving them a chance to move their bodies without being disruptive; a disagreement between friends is an opportunity to practice social problem solving and cooperation.
Young children sometimes need help navigating moments when their emotions are running high and we get to make the choice how to meet them. Taking time to hear their words, observe their actions, and ask open ended questions is a great way to strengthen your bond and model positive behavior in a complex world.
Thanks for reading,
Ms. Dewey.
Weekly Update
Elementary students love to learn through stories that inspire their imagination. Last week, they were invited to travel back in time to hear “A Story of 12,000 Snails,” learning about how the ancient Phoenicians harvested sea creatures and developed a process to make a precious dye: Tyrian purple. With this process, these early sea merchants were able to dye fabric a vibrant purple, creating a valuable, luxury commodity coveted by the wealthy and powerful.
Students participating in literature circles are routinely invited to take on a variety of roles to support the group discussion. Many children were excited to share their hand-drawn maps and clay renditions of settings from The Littles Go Exploring, Charlotte’s Web, and The Girl Who Owned a City, while also learning to define new vocabulary words and make summarizing notes. Others were excited to lead their literature circle meetings, developing discussion questions and encouraging everyone to contribute.
Elementary students are always engaged in the challenging work of learning to work and socialize with their peers, and love to develop their social and emotional skills through dramatic scenarios and role-play skits. Groups of students were given an outline of a social situation they may encounter, such as managing a fair-weather friend or navigating two invitations to play at the same time. Each group discussed their scenario and worked together to create a fair solution to their problem. They have been working on skits depicting their situation and solution, and are eager to present their dramatic work to the class. We are expecting a high level of physical comedy and entertaining theatrics at these short performances!
Wishing you a great week ahead,
Michelle and Marissa.
Welcome to Elementary — Parent and Child Orientation
As our graduating Casa students prepare for new classrooms in September, we welcome those families joining the Lyonsgate Elementary community for the first time this fall to join us for a parent-and-child orientation on Wednesday, June 14th, from 3:30 – 4:00 p.m. Our new students will join the classroom assistants in a fun activity while parents can meet with the classroom guides, ask questions, and receive essential information on how to prepare for the transition to Elementary. Children moving up to Elementary in the fall are welcome to sign up for our Montessori summer camp in July, where they can meet some of their older classmates and get comfortable in their new environment [see below]. Our annual orientation for all Elementary families will take place in September.
LRS Conferences
The Elementary campus has a PD day on Friday, April 28. [The Primary campus for Casa and Toddler students will be open]. If you received a report from the Elementary Learning Resource Specialist, Kim Fiocca, please schedule a 30 minute conference for that day. Conferences are in-person, with child care available during the conference, but they can be held on Zoom by family request. Please click here to book an LRS conference with Kim.
Elementary Summer Camp
Camp registration is open for this coming July and we encourage interested families to sign up soon. While each week of camp has a specific theme with different activities for campers attending both sessions, both sessions include a variety of classic camp activities, waterplay, and can be adapted to the interests of the campers. Please click here to register for summer camp! Payment can be made to accounts@lyonsgate.ca
- Week 1: July 10- 14 Art Explorers: Draw, Sculpt, Shoot!
Work with a variety of mediums, photography and video equipment to create a short movie. Clay, papier mache, and underwater filming are just a few things we have planned for this week!
- Week 2: July 17 – 21 Around the World: Exploring the Seven Continents
Gather stamps in your Montessori passport each day as we explore the seven continents. Learn how the Maori of Oceania dance the haka and cook over a hot rock pit, play outdoor games from Bangladesh and India, and try art techniques from Ghana, Nigeria, and Tanzania.
Lyonsgate Parent Update April 17, 2023
Hello Lyonsgate Families,
From May 1-4, parents of Casa and Toddler students have the opportunity to participate in Show & Share in your child’s classroom. Show & Share is an opportunity for Montessori students to invite their parents into the classrooms to show them some of the materials they work with. Please click here to select the day of your Show & Share visit.
The short week flew by, and it seems that we jumped from Easter to summer overnight! We have been taking advantage of the beautiful weather and getting extra time outside in the fresh air. One great thing about the warm weather is the opportunity to have our afternoon snack outdoors. It is always an adventure picnicking with the Toddler community and then enjoying some water-based activities on the playground. We love to paint the fence with water and brushes, and enjoy splashing and cooling off in the process. There is a small playhouse on the playground that the Casa children had decorated with chalk and the toddlers, never failing to see an opportunity, responded by promptly cleaning it off with their water and brushes. We are looking forward to more fun in the sun, but hoping the hot hot days hold off for a little while longer.
Have a wonderful weekend!
Mr. Davis.
“Look what I found!”
Spring is my favourite time of year. The weather is warmer, and the students are excited to tell us of all the new things they see emerging from the ground, flying by their eyes, and smelling in the air. They are using their five senses to experience the world around them. They are building their independence to decide whether to wear a coat or not, to play in the shade or sun. They are showing us what they find interesting, yucky, comfortable, or irritating… they are showing us who they are & what they know.
As nature around us is changing & evolving, we, as teachers, are taking a moment to reflect on the growth in our little individuals. Our 3rd years have grown into leaders and helpers, and have developed the individual personalities that make them who they are. They are quickly approaching the significant milestone from Casa to Elementary or Primary, and are very confident in the foundations they have laid. The 2nd years are practicing and building upon those same leadership skills, their confidence with activities, and their social skills. The 1st years, who once welcomed the help of our 3rd years, show pride in their independence (their new talents of buttoning buttons, zipping zippers, getting ready faster and without help). They are now used to the classroom routine and the new world of 25 children to play with. These 1st years stand a little taller, more capable, and more confident to voice their needs; they no longer feel they are unable, but they feel the inner strength & desire to try.
All the children have transformed, and as teachers we celebrate these stepping stones & feel privileged to walk alongside them. They have found their voices, their helping hands, their sense of adventure, and we have a feeling of community that makes our classroom a fantastic, safe place to be.
The 3-year Casa program is so exceptional for this reason! Not just for your children, but for us, as educators; we are allotted the time to nurture them, have patience with them, and watch them grow! I, personally, have found my hope for the future in these little humans — I have no doubt they will move mountains!
Best,
Ms. Canessa (for our Casa teams)
Springtime on the Elementary campus leads to a renewed interest in biology and working in the garden! Through the botany curriculum, students learn about the basic needs of plants, as well as the physiology and function of the leaf, the stem, the root, and the seed. Following this early work, they practice caring for a variety of plants throughout the classroom, sprout seedlings, conduct experiments and sketch their observations, and explore the history and evolution of plants through the Timeline of Life. As students learn about the important interactions between plants and other aspects of their environment, they discover how distinct biomes support different webs of interdependent life. Members of the Year 4 cohort are currently researching different biomes and how animal species have adapted to succeed in conditions such as freshwater or saltwater, coastal habitats, woodlands, rainforests, or deserts. As students develop their research and reporting skills, they may need to go out of the classroom to seek out new resources and experiences. Many students were excited to see two senior students plan an independent “going out” to the Royal Botanical Gardens during the school day to gather research from the recent Frogs! exhibit. This type of “going out” opportunity encourages initiative, requires self-discipline and responsibility, and promotes a sense of independence, capability, and confidence.
Camp registration is open for this coming July and we encourage interested families to sign up soon. While each week of camp has a specific theme with different activities for campers attending both sessions, both sessions include a variety of classic camp activities, waterplay, and can be adapted to the interests of the campers. Please click here to register for summer camp! Payment can be made to accounts@lyonsgate.ca
Week 1: July 10- 14 Art Explorers: Draw, Sculpt, Shoot!
Work with a variety of mediums, photography and video equipment to create a short movie. Clay, papier mache, and underwater filming are just a few things we have planned for this week!
Week 2: July 17 – 21 Around the World: Exploring the Seven Continents
Gather stamps in your Montessori passport each day as we explore the seven continents. Learn how the Maori of Oceania dance the haka and cook over a hot rock pit, play outdoor games from Bangladesh and India, and try art techniques from Ghana, Nigeria, and Tanzania.
Wishing you a happy week ahead,
Marissa and Michelle.
LRS Conferences
The Elementary campus has a PD day on Friday, April 28. [The Primary campus for Casa and Toddler students will be open]. If you received a report from the Elementary Learning Resource Specialist, Kim Fiocca, please schedule a 30 minute conference for that day. Conferences are in-person, with child care available during the conference, but they can be held on Zoom by family request. Please click here to book an LRS conference with Kim.
Lyonsgate Parent Update April 11, 2023
Hello Lyonsgate Families,
A new lunch menu will come into effect on Monday, April 17. You can always find the lunch menu under your “Parents” tab here: https://lyonsgate.ca/lyonsgate-lunch-menu/ Check to see which week it is of the 4-week rotating schedule on the Lyonsgate calendar, also under your “Parents” tab: https://lyonsgate.ca/lyonsgate-calendar/
Also, a reminder to please not send children into the school with food such as snacks or breakfast foods. We have a number of children at both campuses with various anaphylactic allergies. Thank you.
Happy Day Toddler Families!
We sincerely hope that you enjoyed the beautiful long weekend and that some of you had a chance to connect and relax with family. We are seeing so much more energy in the classroom now that the weather has turned around and the sun is finally shining on us once again; with that being said, we encourage you all to check the weather each morning and send your child with the appropriate outside gear so they can be comfortable when we are having our recess.
We love seeing and hearing all of the signs of spring and summer that we are experiencing each day which makes for rich and wonderful conversations with the children, from hearing the different birds that are emerging to the buds and early spring flowers we spot on the ground and on the trees. Take time out of your day to really encourage your child’s natural curiosity of the world and for a moment try to live from their point of view, because just like the tulip bulbs that are beginning to blossom, so are your beautiful children!
With gratitude,
Mme Craigie.
Salut tout le monde!
Printemps est finalement arrivé!
I hope you all enjoyed your long weekend.
We have been looking at signs and hearing the sounds of the new season. We have been noticing the warmer weather, birds singing, insects, flowers…
On another note, we all know that reading to your child has many great benefits. Books are great resources to help expand imagination, vocabulary, knowledge, conversation, and bonding. If you have children’s French books at home and would like to share them with your child’s classmates, it would be greatly appreciated!
Bonne semaine!
Best regards!
Mme Renée Perazzo.
Last week, the children were excitedly discussing the many celebrations that this April brings: Passover, Easter, and Eid. The children enjoyed hearing the story of Passover, and were very excited when an upper elementary student brought in some matzah to share. We hope everyone was able to enjoy the long holiday weekend with friends or family.
All the Elementary students are excited to experience the sun and warmer weather that come with spring. The backyard area is a popular choice for students during the work cycle! We are grateful for the rain that is helping to prepare the soil in our garden for our spring planting. Unfortunately, with this rain comes mud, and lots of it! If your child regularly comes home with sopping socks or mud-caked pants from outdoor time, please encourage them to pack any extra clothing that might make the afternoons more comfortable.
Wishing you a lovely week ahead,
Michelle and Marissa.
LRS Conferences
The Elementary campus has a PD day on Friday, April 28. [The Primary campus for Casa and Toddler students will be open]. If you received a report from the Elementary Learning Resource Specialist, Kim Fiocca, please schedule a 30 minute conference for that day. There are also a few afterschool spots available on Thursday, April 27, and Monday, May 1. Please click here to book an LRS conference with Kim.
Lyonsgate Parent Update April 3, 2023
Welcome Back to School,
We hope everyone had the restful or adventuresome March Break you wanted. Easter is following closely on the heels of March Break and Lyonsgate will be closed on Friday, March 7, and Monday, March 10, for Good Friday and Easter Monday, respectively.
We have a quick reminder to ask that parents please do not share photos from your children’s classroom Seesaw to other social media platforms; some families have requested that photos be shared to Seesaw only. Thank you.
Please see below for updates, including information about LRS conferences for Elementary families.
https://youtu.be/LEQY6raVr70
Hello Toddler Families,
Welcome back and welcome spring!
We are observing signs of spring in our environment and signs of rapid development in the toddlers, specifically language development. Somewhere between 16 months and 2 years, most children exhibit a period of language explosion. This is an amazing period of rapid development and in Montessori we call this the sensitive period for language.
“Between birth and adulthood children learn around 60,000 words, an average of 8-10 a day.” The Guardian, ‘Psychologist explains secret of children’s word explosion.’
This is a universal phenomenon. Children acquire language around the same time of development, in the same way, across the globe, no matter how complex their native tongue happens to be. This is all possible because of the nature of the absorbent mind, something that Maria Montessori identified.
Children begin with naming the people and things that are dear to them to being able to use language to express their needs and desires. Around the time of the language explosion you will notice young children exhibiting an understanding of concepts such as “open,” “closed,” “empty,” and their ability to string words together in short phrases increases: “Mrs. Gervais, would you please open that door?” is my favourite from last week. As the child approaches the age of three, story telling and more complex conversations can be enjoyed.
It is remarkable how quickly, and seemingly how effortlessly, young children can master complex languages during this stage of development. We can support and enrich their developing lexicon by providing them the opportunity to hear a rich and nuanced language in their environment — expand on their interests, find out more about construction vehicles, dinosaurs, how the appliances work, whatever tickles their fancy. You might even learn something new along the way!
Ms. Gervais.
Bonjour tout le monde!
Bienvenue au 3ème trimestre scolaire.
Nice to see everyone back; we heard lots of lovely stories from our students. It sounds like everyone had a wonderful March Break.
We are all waiting for the sunshine of spring. The sun is still hiding in the morning so we need our students to be dressed for the weather. Please keep sending your children with hats, mittens, and splash pants in their backpacks.
The students are working on hot/cold activities in French. Spring is the perfect time to talk about the weather:
“Madame, il pleut aujòurd’hui — plic-ploc, plic-ploc” while pointing to the tops of their heads (plic-ploc).
“Il fait chaud” (it’s hot!).
“Il fait froid” (it’s cold!) – Brrrr!
Self-care/Weather
We are giving our students the tools to be more independent and the tools to solve small problems on their own. When the child expresses being too hot or too cold, we encourage them to think of ways they could solve their discomfort.
It is wonderful when they have a t-shirt under their sweatshirt to dress down when they are too hot.
If they have mittens in their pockets and their hands become cold they can slide them on.
By giving them the tools and encouraging conversation with them to care for themselves they become more independent and confident within themselves.
Best regards,
Mme Murati.
The Elementary students were excited to return to school last week, catching up with their friends and re-engaging with their work. The students dove into making booklets, calculating circumferences, and working on fairy tale plays in French. They loved ending the week with a mac-and-cheese community lunch before their final cricket lesson with Coach Stu. We look forward to learning more about Passover, Easter, and Eid throughout the month of April.
Our Montessori summer camp registration is OPEN for this coming July, and we encourage interested families to sign up soon. While we always include a variety of classic camp activities and waterplay, as well as adjusting our plans to camper interests, each week will also focus on a specific theme. Please click here to register for summer camp! Payment can be made to accounts@lyonsgate.ca
Week 1: July 10-14 Art Explorers: Draw, Sculpt, Shoot!
Work with a variety of mediums, photography, and video equipment to create a short movie. Clay, papier mache, and underwater filming are just a few things we have planned for this week!
Week 2: July 17 – 21 Around the World: Exploring the Seven Continents
Gather stamps in your Montessori passport each day as we explore the seven continents, learning about distinct biomes and human cultural developments such as games, art techniques, spices, and foods!
Wishing you a great week ahead,
Marissa and Michelle.
LRS Conferences
The Elementary campus has a PD day on Friday, April 28. [The Primary campus for Casa and Toddler students will be open]. If you received a report from the Elementary Learning Resource Specialist, Kim Fiocca, please schedule a 30 minute conference. There are also a few afterschool spots available on Thursday, April 27, and Monday, May 1. Please click here to book an LRS conference with Kim.
